Security assured

CEBU, Philippines — There is no cause for worry as the schools begin observing the modified school hours, which include dismissal at 9 p.m., because more security personnel will be deployed to ensure the safety of the students.

This is the assurance of Cebu City Councilor Philip Zafra, chairman of the City Council Committee of Peace and Order, given in a phone interview with The Freeman yesterday.

Starting today, schools, especially public schools, in the city will start complying with Mayor Mike Rama’s executive order (EO) issued in response to the extreme heat felt in recent days.

The mayor issued the EO last Sunday, mandating that all educational institutions in all levels adopt and implement modified school hours.

The EO’s provisions include morning classes from 6 a.m. 12 noon and afternoon classes at 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The EO also sets that there should be no physical or face-to-face classes from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., when the sun is at its hottest.

Zafra assured that the security measures are already in place since there are schools in the city that have always offered night classes, so the 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. schedule is nothing new.

As for the respective schools, he said they also have their own security measures in place.

He said they are tapping the barangays for force multipliers and other auxiliary forces, including the Task Force Kasaligan, as augmentation security personnel.

“So mostly ana, ang high schools ana mapun-an nalang ang mga haponon kay ma-extended sila until 9 (p.m.). So, we just have to augment nalang ang atong existing police personnel nga atong ipang-assign sa eskwelahan,” he said.

"Then naa sad na silay (schools) mga arrangements with the barangays. That is why ang atong kapulisan dili lang sa gawas ilang visibility, ni-connect sad na sila sa matag eskwelahan," he added. — (FREEMAN)